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Officials Dispel False Violence Rumors at Four Putnam County High Schools

Thu, 12/20/2012 - 18:43

Putnam County Sheriff Donald B. Smith reports that his office, working today in conjunction with school officials, investigated and dispelled false rumors of impending violence at four high schools in the County.

In separate incidents today, school officials at the Brewster, Carmel, Mahopac and Putnam Valley High Schools notified the Sheriff’s Office that rumors were circulating in those schools that some violent act would happen tomorrow (Friday) on their respective school campuses. The rumors were brought to the attention of the School Resource Officers (“SROs”) –deputy sheriffs assigned to the schools. In each instance, the SROs investigated the rumors and determined them to be unfounded.

“In each of the four cases, it was determined that the information being circulated was a false and baseless rumor, and did not represent any credible danger, ” said Sheriff Smith. “None of the cases involved any student who made a direct or overt threat to commit an act of violence, ” said the Sheriff.

The Sheriff noted that security precautions at schools throughout Putnam County have been heightened since the deadly attack last week at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

The News Releases posted on the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department Website are for historical purposes only. Information contained within the releases was believed to be accurate at the time of issuance, but the contents of these Releases can become out-of-date over time and the Sheriff’s Department does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or the reliability of the information displayed. The Sheriff’s Department will not and specifically disclaims any duty to update the information in these Releases to reflect subsequent events or circumstances in the matters reported, except as otherwise required by applicable law. A person charged with a crime is presumed to be innocent of the offense until proven guilty in a court of law.